


Not Svelte

by methylviolet10b



Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Prompt Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-10
Updated: 2016-07-10
Packaged: 2018-07-22 16:28:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 351
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7445974
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/methylviolet10b/pseuds/methylviolet10b
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes appearance isn't what it seems. Written for JWP #9: Please stop petting the test subjects.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Not Svelte

**Author's Note:**

> Warnings: Unrepentantly fluffy schmoop, somewhat related to another story from last year's JWP, [Nocturnal Creatures](http://archiveofourown.org/works/4346063). And absolutely no beta. This was written in a huge rush. You have been warned.

“…and as you can see from our test subjects, our formula has achieved remarkable results. The mice in both cages have equal amounts of food every day. They’re insatiable eaters, as you can see by the way they’re diligently feeding. Yet as you can see, the mice in the yellow cage are almost morbidly obese, while the mice in the blue cage, who have received our special injections, are svelte and healthy…” The lab-coated salesman stopped in the middle of his well-rehearsed spiel and scowled at Sherlock. “Please stop petting the test subjects.”  
  
“ _[Muscardinus avellanarius](https://ptes.org/get-informed/facts-figures/hazel-common-dormouse-muscardinus-avellanarius/?cat=123)_ ,” Sherlock snapped, continuing to gently stroke one of the blue-cage subjects with one finger.  
  
“I beg your pardon?” The salesman stared, apparently unused to anything other than respectful attention at this portion of his presentation.  
  
“They’re not mice, they’re _muscardinus avellanarius_ , also known as the hazel dormouse,” Sherlock informed him witheringly. His eyes blazed with rare anger. “And the specimens in the yellow cage are not ‘obese’, as you claim, but rather in a perfectly normal state for a dormouse about to enter hibernation, as is natural given the time of year. These dormice in the blue cage, on the other hand, are severely underweight and unlikely to survive.” He stopped petting the dormouse and rose to his full, imposing height.  
  
 _Uh-oh_ , thought John. _Here we go_.  
  
Sherlock glared at the salesman. “Did you know that the hazel dormouse is considered a threatened, if not endangered, species in Britain?”  
  
After the scuffle, and Lestrade’s team taking away the well-punched “diet drug” fraudsters, John joined Sherlock by the dormouse cages. “Do you think they can be saved?” John asked, nodding at the dormice in the blue cage.  
  
“From my limited experience, I should think there’s a good chance, yes,” Sherlock answered somewhat distractedly, his eyes focused on the two dormice now sniffing at the fingers he’d poked through the bars of the cage. “We’ll want to secure expert care, of course.”  
  
“Sounds like it might be time to take that trip to that zoo in Devon,” John answered.  
  
Sherlock glanced up, and his eyes were warm. “Yes.”  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted July 9, 2016


End file.
